Rates

• India's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in power since 2014, has captured independent institutions like the Election Commission, judiciary, and media, leading to democratic backsliding into a hybrid regime. • After winning 240 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections—short of the 272 majority—Prime Minister Narendra Modi rapidly passed a citizenship law targeting Muslims as a key poll promise amid strong partisan support. • Legislative capture has weakened checks and balances, turning parliament into a rubber stamp through censorship, intimidation, and power centralization.

• The U.S. Federal Reserve maintained its federal funds rate in the 3.50%-3.75% range at its April 2026 policy meeting. • Decision balances heightened inflation uncertainty, a softening labor market, and geopolitical risks from the Middle East. • Markets remain volatile under President Trump due to tariffs, tax policies, oil price swings, and conflicts, yet stocks have held steady overall.

• The Federal Reserve maintained interest rates at 3.50%-3.75% last week, citing continued economic expansion but persistent inflation linked to energy prices. • Inflation remains elevated with PCE price index up slightly in March to 3.5% year-over-year. • Decision supports market optimism, contributing to S&P 500 nearing its January record high despite Middle East risks.

• US GDP expanded at a 2.0% annualized rate in Q1 2026, rebounding from 0.5% in the prior quarter, driven by government spending, exports, and investment. • Consumer spending stayed strong in March, bolstered by rising personal income and consumption. • Manufacturing PMI hit its strongest since May 2022 per S&P Global, though possibly due to inventory buildup rather than demand.

• Actress Sayani Gupta is receiving positive response for her latest series 'Glory', which recently premiered on Netflix, where she plays the role of Joyna. • Gupta celebrated a significant week in her career with the world premieres of her short film 'Aasmani', which won two awards at the event. • The actress shared an emotional note about balancing her work on the Netflix series with her independent short film project.

At a rally in Florida, the US president tells a cheering crowd ‘we took over the ship’Middle East crisis – live updatesDonald Trump has said the US navy acted “like pirates” as he described an operation seizing a ship amid the tit-for-tat American blockade of Iranian ports.“We … land on top of it and we took over the ship. We took over the cargo, took over the oil. It’s a very profitable business,” said Trump at a rally in Florida on Friday. Continue reading...

• The Federal Reserve maintained interest rates unchanged at its latest meeting but signaled a more hawkish stance, shifting investor sentiment regarding future policy direction. • Tech sector earnings continued to show strong numbers, though stock market reactions remained mixed, with the S&P 500 rising 1% for the week as equities powered through higher oil prices and a backup in yields. • Fed Chair Jerome Powell announced he will not retire after his term ends next month, committing to serve as a constructive governor rather than a shadow Fed chair.